Right Under Her Nose
by N Tonks Fan
Summary: Ever since laying eyes on Bill Weasley Tonks has been crazy about him but she soon finds that the one she truly likes has been there all along. Short story set at the start of Charlie and Tonks's 5th year at Hogwarts.
1. Chapter 1

"Look I really have to go now mum," Nymphadora Tonks insisted.

She was standing in the middle of the crowded platform waiting to board the Hogwarts Express. All around her students were dragging trunks and owl cages, greeting old friends loudly or having tearful goodbyes with their families. New students were standing around looking terrified while the older pupils were trying to impress the younger ones or else they were ignoring them like some had chosen to do.

Tonks quickly pecked her fair haired, round bellied father on the cheek then gave her mother one last hug before backing away on to the train. Andromeda's brown eyes were slightly watery as she watched her only daughter join the others climbing aboard the bright red train.

Tonks began making her way down the corridor of the Hogwarts Express when all of a sudden she tripped over a stray trunk and went crashing to the ground.

"Oh I'm so sorry!" came an apologetic voice.

A strong hand reached down, grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back to her feet.

Tonks looked up and found herself face to face with Bill Weasley. She had been about to go off on a rant of curses and swear words but swallowed instead when she saw Bill.

He stood there looking slightly embarrassed – his long red hair sticking up oddly, the fang earring swaying and his blue eyes worried.

"Sorry," he repeated letting go of Tonks's arm. "I dropped my wand you see and some idiot Slytherin kicked it so it rolled off away down the corridor then of course I had to go crawling after it so I just left my trunk here," he explained.

"Oh it's all right," Tonks said lightly. "It was just an accident," she beamed up at Bill.

Bill looked relieved as he picked up his trunk and hurried off away down the train.

"Nice hair colour by the way!" he shouted back, admiring her lime green hair from a distance.

Tonks sighed as she continued on in the opposite direction. Ever since she had first laid eyes on Bill Weasley she had, had a crush on him. That was four years ago now, she reminded herself. If he liked you too then he would have told you by now. He only thinks of you as his younger brother's friend and that is the way it will always be so get over yourself. Despite how many times she told herself this though Tonks still really liked him. It just seemed to get worse every time she saw him.

As she walked a compartment door to her right was flung open and a broad shouldered red haired boy stood grinning at her.

"About time you showed up!" he said.

"Charlie!" Tonks greeted her fellow Gryffindor student and best friend with enthusiasm.

"Look what I got," Charlie looked down at the small prefects badge he had pinned on to his muggle jumper.

"Prefect! Well done!" Tonks shrieked and threw her arms around Bill.

"You should have seen mum when I told her," Charlie laughed. "Started bawling her eyes out and saying how proud she was at having two of her sons being prefects."

"She should get to know my mother," Tonks said, pointing out the window at the dark haired woman wiping her eyes with a handkerchief. "I'm a fifth year for goodness sake not a first year!"

"Well she only has you doesn't she," Charlie said reasonably. "My mum has plenty of kids back home to keep her busy!"

"Yeah maybe," Tonks said distractedly, her mind drifting to Bill.

"Listen I have to go meet the rest of the Prefects but I shouldn't be long," Charlie began. "More people will probably come and join you soon anyway."

With a quick wave he stepped out of the compartment and disappeared. Tonks heaved her trunk up on to the luggage rack before taking a seat next to the window. She smiled out at her parents as the train began making it's way slowly out of the station, gradually picking up speed as it went.

Once out in the countryside the door slid open and three other people entered – two girls and a boy. The two girls seated themselves beside Tonks while the boy sat opposite.

"Tonks!" the boy smiled.

He was built the same way as Charlie but with dark brown hair and grey eyes.

"Hello there Archie," Tonks said cheerfully.

"Where's Charlie?" one of the girls that had entered piped up.

"He's been made a prefect so he is away off to, I really don't know what it is he's away to do," Tonks replied. "But don't worry Adalia he'll be back soon!" her eyes twinkled.

Archie smirked.

It was widely known across their year that Adalia liked Charlie but only Charlie himself seemed oblivious to this piece of information despite the fact that she continually batted her dark eyelashes and flicked her long golden hair around whenever she came into contact with him.

"So how are you Estra?" Tonks asked the other girl.

"I'm fine thanks," Estra replied. "How about you? Did you have a good summer?"

"Yeah it was all right," Tonks shrugged. "It's a lot better here at Hogwarts though."

Estra smiled as she pushed her glasses further up her nose. She was the more serious out of the three girls. While Tonks could be found creating mischief somewhere and Adalia trailing Charlie around the castle, Estra would be sitting quietly in the common room reading. She was pale compared to Archie who spent most of his free time out riding on his broom. Estra was small and thin, her black hair always tied up neatly unlike Adalia who was tall and spent a considerable amount of the day brushing her hair until it shone.

It was not until another twenty minutes that Charlie reappeared.

"Sorry about that," he muttered as he sat down beside Archie. "Where is the rest of the team?" he asked.

"Further down the train," Archie told him.

He and Charlie were both in the Gryffindor quidditch team. Charlie the seeker and Archie one of the chasers.

"So I saw Bill back there Nymph, he's been made head boy you know" Charlie told Tonks. "Anyway he told me about your little trip!"

"Really?" Tonks said, pretending not to be interested.

"It sounded hilarious!" Charlie roared with laughter.

Tonks drew her wand from under her sleeve and waved it at Charlie so that his mouth closed tightly.

"It's not so funny now is it?" she grinned.

Charlie gestured to his mouth clearly trying to get Tonks to release the spell but she turned away and started speaking to Estra instead.

This was an almost daily routine for Tonks and Charlie so none of the others paid much attention to the fact that Charlie could no longer speak. They had grown used to the pair jinxing each other for fun every chance they got.

ten minutes later Tonks removed the spell but immediately got one fired back at her.

"Jelly legs curse," Charlie told her, looking down at her wobbling legs.

"Interesting," Tonks replied. "Well I guess if you don't release me then you will just have to carry me to the castle!"

"Fine by me," Charlie declared.

When they arrived at the castle that night though Tonks was free of the jinx. She and Charlie took a seat along with the rest of their friends at the Gryffindor table and after watching the sorting they tucked into the feast. Further along the table from where they sat Charlie's older brother was whispering into an older girl's either.

"Bill got himself a new girlfriend?" Tonks asked Charlie, trying to keep her voice normal.

"Yeah," Charlie took a large forkful of chicken and swallowed. "They got together before the summer. She's pretty isn't she?" he admired the brunette next to Bill.

Tonk's felt her heart fall at this piece of information. Bill had a girlfriend. One that was older, prettier and smarter than her. She sighed.

"Yeah she's not bad," she told her best friend.

"Not as pretty as you though," Charlie winked at her. "Who in their right mind would chose brunette or blonde when they could have turquoise, scarlet or lime green," he laughed.

Tonks responded by flicking a slice of carrot at him.

"Who is she?" Tonks asked, trying not to appear to curious.

"Dunno," Charlie shrugged. "Never met her before. Bill mentioned her name a few times but I didn't pay much attention. Although wait till you hear this," he said. "Apparently she had liked Bill for years but hadn't done anything about it. I mean how stupid is that!" he scorned. "All she had to do was get a friend to find out if he liked her too and they could have got together ages ago."

"Crazy," Tonks mumbled as her cheeks turned pink. "So did he ask her out or did she finally decide to ask him?" she asked.

"What's with all the questions?" Charlie asked. "I feel like someone famous being interviewed on the radio."

Thankfully Tonks did not have to come up with a reply as at that moment the puddings appeared on the table.

Later that night Tonks sat in the corner of the common room with Charlie.

"Maybe we should get to bed?" Charlie suggested. "Bill says the OWL year is a nightmare and since it's our first day tomorrow…" he tailed off as the sounds of giggling came through the portrait.

"Charlie! Tonks! What are you two still doing up?"

Tonks's breath caught in her throat. She could recognise that voice anywhere. She spun around to see Bill Weasely hand in hand with his girlfriend.

"Oh have you guys met Olivia?" he said quickly.

The girl smiled revealing a perfect set of white teeth.

Tonks forced herself to smile back while Charlie said hello.

"Well I'd better get off to bed," Tonks said hurriedly. "Night Charlie, Bill. Nice to meet you Olivia," she began making her way across the common room to the staircase up to the dorms.

"Oh wait I'll walk with you!" Olivia called out in a sweet voice.

"Tonks glared at the ceiling before stopping to wait for Olivia to catch up.

As the two began walking she could sense Bill's eyes on them from across the room.

"So how long have you and Charlie been together?" Olivia asked as they ascended the spiral staircase.

"Oh we're not together!" Tonks said quickly. "We're best friends."

"I just assumed you were together," Olivia said apologetically.

Tonks started laughing. "That's the funniest thing I've heard all day!"

For a few seconds she forgot her hatred for Olivia as the two laughed together but it soon washed back over her.

"I can't believe how lucky I am being Bill's girlfriend," she told Tonks. "I never thought it would happen because he is so popular with the girls here at Hogwarts. For a while he seemed to have a different girlfriend every week!"

Tonks clenched her fist. She had gone through that torture as well though she was not about to admit it to Olivia.

"Well this is me. See ya!" she called, tripping up on the top step in her haste to get into her dorm.


	2. Chapter 2

"Tonks," Charlie greeted her at breakfast the next morning by slapping her in the back.

"Hi Charlie," Tonks ruffled his hair as she sat down beside him.

She picked up a jug of orange juice but as she went to pour it her cup went zooming to the side so the juice splashed all over the table and herself.

"Charlie," she growled as he rolled around the table in fits of laughter.

She went to place the jug back down but in the process managed to send Estra's bowl of cereal flying.

"Sorry," Tonks groaned.

"You can't blame Charlie on that one," Archie smirked. "That was your own clumsiness."

"Thanks Archie," Tonks glared at him.

"Don't get annoyed with me," Archie laughed. "He's the one that got you covered in juice," he pointed to Charlie.

"Yeah you're right," Tonks nodded.

She took out her wand and aimed it at Charlie who was about to take a mouthful of scrambled egg. The egg transformed into a slime coated slug.

"Argh!" Charlie yelped and dropped the spoon.

Tonks grinned. She knew how much Charlie hated insects.

"OK, we're even," Charlie surrendered.

"Yeah for now," Tonks agreed.

"So are you girls going to come and watch us training today?" Charlie asked.

"Of course we will!" Adalia piped up predictably. "Won't we?" she turned to Estra and Tonks.

"We'll probably have homework to do," Estra said seriously.

"We might drop in," Tonks teased Charlie.

"You know how much you love sitting in the cold and the rain watching us having fun," Charlie said jokingly.

"That's us," Adalia said. "Devoted fan club."

"Don't go giving him ideas," Tonks said. "He already gets far too much attention already."

"Is that jealousy Nymphadora?" Charlie asked, deliberately using her first name.

"I'd call it annoyance," Tonks shot back at him. "You can't walk down a corridor without a girl stopping to ask you to sign something of theirs or boys saying "good game" or "amazing flying" or "what a catch"," Tonks put on a male voice. "I swear if I hear good game one more time I'll - "

She was cut off however by their head of house handing out their new timetables.

...

"So Edith was right," Tonks grumbled. "Homework on the first day. It's ridiculous!"

Adalia nodded her head in agreement. The two were on their way down to the Quidditch pitch to watch Charlie and Archie.

"Anyway I didn't get the chance at dinner to finish my story about Olivia," Tonks said. "She was acting all nice and friendly and then goes and asks how long Charlie and I have been going out. How funny is that it?"

Tonks turned to look at her friend and next second found herself sprawled over the ground having tripped over a tree root prodding out of the ground.

"It's not that outrageous," Adalia replied quietly. "I get asked by girls all the time if the two of you are together."

Tonks started to laugh but stopped quickly when she saw her friends face.

"Oh come on!" Tonks spluttered. "We're best friends. Always have been and always will. Look why don't I ask him out for you?" she offered.

Adalia shook her head violently. "He would say no. He only sees me as a friend. Anyway he has his eye on someone else. I've got no chance."

"Of course you have a chance," Tonks told her friend as they enter the Quidditch pitch and headed for the stands. "He's kept all this really quiet. Who is it he likes this time?" she asked eagerly. "It's not that Hufflepuff girl is it?"

"Do I have to spell it out for you?" Adalia snapped. "He likes you. He always has."

Tonks was about to start laughing again when she realised it wasn't a joke.

Adalia stood up and began running back towards the castle. Tonks could hear faint sobs trailing behind her. She was about to follow her but decided that what Adalia needed right now was some space. Instead Tonks watched the team training although she took none of it in, she was too busy going over in her head Adalia's comment.

When the training session had finished Tonks rushed up to Archie.

"I need to speak to you," she said quickly.

"Don't mind me then. I'll just walk up to the castle myself," Charlie huffed though his eyes twinkled.

"Yeah you do that," Tonks said brightly.

"Archie you're quite close to Charlie aren't you?" she asked. "You share things don't you?"

Archie just stared at her.

"Good," Tonks continued. "I just need to ask you something about him. It's just... You don't know if Charlie... Well you see Adalia came up with this crazy idea that Charlie likes me. She's not right is she?"

"Bloody hell Tonks. You go on about Charlie for not noticing Adalia's obsession with him. Of course she's right you idiot."

"No you're both wrong. Charlie doesn't see me in that way we're just friends." Tonks said stubbornly.

"You just don't want to admit it yourself. You know deep down we're right," Archie grinned.

"Oh Archie if it is true you have to help me! What am I supposed to do?" Tonks wailed.

"That's your problem not mine," Archie told her.

...

The next morning at breakfast Tonks kept a watchful eye on Charlie.

Was it her imagination or did he keep glancing over at her while she chatted to Edith? She tried to think back to girls he had been out with but now that she actually thought about it he had never really gone out with anyone. He had lots of fans due to his Quittich playing but he had never asked anyone out, not that she could remember anyway.

"Charlie when was the last time you went out with someone?" she blurted out.

Being tactful was not her strong point.

Charlie shrugged not looking up from his food.

Was it her imagination again or was he avoiding eye contact with her?

She looked at him as he ate. She had never noticed before how strong looking he was or how good looking, especially with his cute freckles.

He looked up and caught her staring. His face turned pink.

"What?" he asked.

"N-nothing," Tonks stuttered. "I was just trying to come up with a spell to cast on you but I was too slow."

She cursed Adalia and Archie for filling her head with their nonsense if it hadn't have been for them then things would have been like they always were but now she was beginning to look at her best friend in a different way.


	3. Chapter 3

It was after dinner and Charlie and Tonks were walking towards the corridor towards the library when Hagrid appeared at the other end of the corridor and started down the hallway towards them.

"Charlie," Hagrid beamed at him.

"Hi Hagrid," Charlie replied. "Did you have a good summer?" he asked politely.

"Not bad," Hagrid boomed. "Anyway I'd best be getting off Fang hasn't had his tea yet."

He smiled at the two before trying to squeeze past.

Tonks found herself pushed up against the wall with Charlie pressed against her as Hagrid pushed his way through.

Her body tensed up. She was aware of Charlie's heartbeat pounding. His body stuck to hers. As soon as Hagrid had passed by she pushed Charlie away from herself.

"Phew," she laughed. "I can breathe again."

"You know many girls would die to have been in your position," Charlie told her jokingly. "Squashed up next to a great quidditch star like myself."

"Don't go getting a big head," Tonks warned him.

"Are you afraid I'll forget all about you when I'm famous and playing for England?" Charlie teased her.

"No actually I'm looking forward to it. I'll finally get you out of my life for good," she kidded on.

Tonks breathed a sigh of relief. Things were back to normal. They were back to making fun of each other as usual. She had hated how uncomfortable she had been feeling all day.

"Why don't we forget doing the essay and go for a night time swim in the lake? Remember we used to do that when we were younger?" Tonks asked.

"Yeah I remember," Charlie smiled. "When we were younger?" he questioned. "I still like to think of myself as young thank you very much."

"Yeah well that's not what everyone else thinks of you," Tonks mocked him.

Charlie raised his eyebrows before lunging towards her.

Tonks squealed and raced down the corridor. He chased her into a deserted classroom where he trapped her in the corner and tickled her in the ribs. Tonks giggled as she squirmed around inside his strong hold trying to escape.

After a while the two collapsed down on the cold floor exhausted.

"Charlie Weasley I am going to get you back for that you mark my words," she told him sternly.

"You can try," Charlie told her.

She poked him painfully in the ribs. In response Charlie grabbed her hand to stop her doing it again.

"Interesting hair today by the way," he told her.

"I wanted to stick out," Tonks grinned at him.

"Well you certainly do with that colour," Charlie ran his hands through her bright yellow curly hair.

Tonks felt her heart beat quicken. What was wrong with her? She was suddenly very aware of how close Charlie and her were lying together and the feeling of his hand running through her hair. At the same time she could still feel his hands scrambling over her body tickling her. Snap out of it Tonks she told herself crossly. This is Charlie Weasley your best friend. She supposed she was just feeling paranoid after her talk with Adalia and Archie.

Charlie leaned up on his elbow so he was looking down at her. The two looked intently at each other for a while before the noise of a door banging brought Tonks back to her senses.

She flushed.

"We should probably go," Charlie said, clearly flustered.

He got up quickly and pulled Tonks to her feet.

"We'll probably regret it if we put off the essay until later in the week," he said sensibly.

"To the library then," Tonks said unenthusiastically.

That night Tonks lay in bed unable to sleep. She kept going over and over in her head the events of the past day.

She was confused.

Could it be that she was falling for Charlie? Did she like him more than a best friend?

Or was that just her feeling paranoid after finding out he liked her. That was if he did like her. She still had not ruled out the possibility that Archie and Adalia were playing a trick on her and a cruel one at that.

She cast her mind back to Charms that morning where she couldn't get the spell to work so Charlie had put his hand over her own to guide her through the wand movement. Before last night she would not have thought twice about it but her hand was still tingling from the experience.

Her thoughts drifted on to when the two had been working in the library together. They had shared a table and she had sat as stiff as a brush all night as Charlie's arm had kept rubbing against hers as he worked.

She tossed and turned in her bed until eventually admitting defeat and tip toeing quietly out the dorm so as not to wake the others and making her way down to the common room.

Once there she curled up in an armchair and stared at the curtains which had been drawn over the window.

What was she going to do?

First she had to figure out her feelings for Charlie. Did she or did she not like him? It was a simple enough question but right now it seemed impossible to answer. She wished more than anything she had not had the conversation she had had with Adalia.

She stood up and began pacing the room. On her third trip around the room her foot caught on a table leg which sent her and a pile of books that had been sitting on the table flying. While scrambling around the floor trying to gather the books together she heard the sound of shuffling feet on the stairs.

"Tonks?" a voice called out quietly.

"Charlie."

She whirled around to see him standing in his checked pyjamas.

"What are you doing?" he asked. "Are you reading?"

"Couldn't sleep," she told him. "Of course I'm not reading. I only read when it's absolutely necessary to. I tripped over the table that they were on and they ended up all over the place," she explained.

"You and your clumsiness," Charlie shook his head. "That's one of the things I love about you. Here let me help."

He took out his wand and levitated the books back into a neat pile on the table.

"Actually while we are here do you mind if we talk?" Charlie asked her. "There is something I've been wanting to get off my chest for a while I just could never figure out the right time to do it…"

Tonks was filled with panic. What was she going to say to him as she still could not figure out her feelings towards him.

"This sounds a little too serious for me," Tonks tried to lighten the mood. "You're starting to sound like all those professors going on about OWLs."

Charlie stepped closer to her but kept his eyes down on the floor.

"You know we've been friends for ages, well recently, well not really recently I realised that…" he trailed off.

"I know what you're going to say," Tonks told him quickly.

"You do?" Charlie's head shot up.

Tonks nodded.

"Adalia suspected and Archie told me. And well… I was kind of watching you today… properly for the first time and I kind of noticed…"

"Oh," Charlie's face reddened. "I don't want to jeopardise our friendship," he said.

"Neither do I," Tonks said softly. "I've been feeling strange all day and I don't like it. I want us to be able to feel relaxed around each other like we usually are."

"Right, we'll just try and forget all this then," he said.

"Hang on a second," Tonks said. "You said the other day you thought it was stupid that Olivia liked Bill and didn't do anything about it. Didn't you do the same thing?"

"No," Charlie said defensively. "It's completely different. See we were friends those two hardly knew each other."

Tonks raised her eyebrows questioningly.

He stood shifting his wait from foot to foot while nervously scratching his head.

Seeing him standing there looking vulnerable and embarrassed Tonks finally discovered what she wanted. She moved towards him and gently planted a kiss on his lips.

Charlie looked at her in surprise.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

Tonks nodded. She had thought that kissing her best friend would feel strange but to her complete amazement it felt like the most natural thing in the world.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him more intensely than before.

She had been stupid to like Bill she realised now when all along Charlie had been right in front of her and it had taken this long to realise.

The End

_Well that's it. I hope you all enjoyed reading it! Feel free to comment or give me advice on how to make my work better. I'd really appreciate it! Thanks for reading!_


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